Clutch.



l J. G., & WfJ. POPE.

l CLUTCH. MPL10 `morr- FILED JULY zo; 190s.

Patented N0V.24,1'908 THE NoRRls Permis co.. wAsHfNnraN, n. c.

y other parts.

UNITED STATES PATENT OPPIOE.

. JOHN o. POPE `AND WILLIAMi I. POPE, OP PLANO, ILLINOIS.

CLUTCH. Y

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 24, 1908.

. Original application `flied October 18, 1907,\Seria1 No. 398,065. IDivided and this application filed July 20, 1908.

i I Serial No. 444,440.

To all whom/it may concern: f 4

Be it knownv that we,"JoIIN C. Porn and WILLIAM J. POPE, citizens of theUnited States, and residents of Plano, county of Kendall, and St-ate ofIllinois, have invented certain new and useful `Improvements inClutches, of which thefollowing is a specicat-ion and which areillustrated in the accom` panying drawings, forming a part'thereof.

The invention relates to clutches and has been divided out of ourco-pending applica` tion for patent on `manure spreaders, filed October18, 1907, Serial No. 398,065.

The object of this invention is to provide improved means for detachablyconnecting rotating parts for the transmission of power.

When great power is transmitted from one rotating part to anotherthrough such a clutching devicefor connecting the `parts as has beenheretofore constructed, the parts of the clutch become so interlocked orengage each other with soV much friction that somuch force is requiredto separate them or otherwise eectV their relativev adjustment tointerrupt the transmissionof the power as to render this separation oradjustment eX- ceedingly difficult andsometimes impossible ofaccomplishment by manual .means To overcome v this objectionable featurein clutches constitutes'a part of the object of this invention and tothatend the invenion contemplates a clutch mechanism Vfor theytransmission of power from one rotatingy part to anotherwhere in theseparation of the parts of the clutch for interrupting the transmissionof powerwhile being manu' Inthe accompanying drawings Figure 1 is acentral sectional View of mechanism embodying-the invention.I v Fig. 2is a frontv view of same, Fig. 3 is a sectional viewtaken on the lines3-3 of Figs. 1 and 2, Figs. 4 and 5 illustrate details of the mechanismshown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 separated from The clutch mechanism asillustrated in the drawings is designed for detachably. connecting adriving shaft l10V and a sprocket wheel 11. As in our herein beforementioned application forvpatent filed October 18, 1907, Serial No.398,065, the shaft 10 may be the rear axle of a manure spreadingmachine. As shown this shaft turns, in 'av Y bearing brackety 12 rigidlysecured in place onthe under sideof a member 13 which in the said manurespreading machine may be kthe floor of the wagon box or hopper.

Preferably a bushing 14, shown in detail in Fig. 5 of the drawings, issecured in position on the shaft 10 adjacent one end of the bearing 12,as by means of a pin 15. As shown the body of this bushing is ofpolygonal form for a portion of itslength, as indicated at 16, Fig. 5,and circular throughout the remaining portion of its length, as at 17Fig. 5. The polygonal portion 16 of the bushing 14y provides a seat fora ratchet wheel 18 whereby the ratchet wheel is xed against rotation onthe shaft 10. The circular portion 17 vof the sleeve 14 provides abearing seat for a cam plate 19 shown in detail in Fig. 4 of thedrawings.

The sprocket wheel 11 is preferably coaxially mounted with the drivingshaft 10. As shown in the drawing it has a bearing seat upon a` circularhub`20 formed upon one side of' the ratchet wheel 18 and is fixedlagainst longitudinal displacement on the hub by a collar.21applied tothe shaft ad- Qjacent the end of the bushing 14 and of sufcient diameterto engage a portion of the face of the sprocketwheel. Drivingconnecftion between the shaft 10 and the sprocket wheel' 11 is effectedby pawls 22, two of which are shown, carried by the sprocket wheel 11and adapted to engage the teeth of the ratchet wheel 18. These pawls areeach pivotallyY secured to the face of the sprocket wheel as at `23, andthey are yieldingly held ,in contact with the teeth of the ratchet wheell18 by leaf springs 24 carried by the sprocket wheel.

The cam plate 19 is provided for lifting lthe pawls 22 out of engagementwith the ratchet wheel 18 when it is desired to interrupt the driving'connection between the shaft10 and the sprocket wheel 11. To this end,as` shown, each of the pawls 22 is provided with a lug 29 whichoverhangs the side of the ratchet wheel 18 and the cam plate 19 hasformed upon the face adjacent the ratchet Wheel, a plurality of camblocks V25, 26, 27, 28 for engaging the lugs 29. Each ofthe cam blocks25, 26, 27 28 has an inclined cam face 43 for engaging the lugs 29 tolift the pawls and the cam blocks are so spaced about the face of thecam plate 19 as to leave recesses 42 between the blocks for receivingthe lugs 29 to permit the pawls 22 to engage the teeth of the ratchetwheel 18.

The lifting of the pawls 22 is effected by relative movement between thesprocket wheel 11 and the cam plate 19, the cam plate being rotated withthe shaft 10 and the ratchet wheel 18 when it is desired to drive thesprocket wheel 11, and being brought to rest when it is desired tointerrupt the drivand the sprocket wheel. As shown the cam plate 19 isrotated by a frictional contact with the face of the ratchet wheel 18,the frictional engagement between these parts being insured by springs30 and 31 reacting between the cam plate 19 and a washer 32 surroundingthe shaft 10 and bearing against the face of the journal bracket 12.Preferably the washer 32 is turned with the cam plate 19 a rotatingconnection between these parts being effected by lugs 33 and 34projecting from the face of the cam plate and entering suitable recesses35, 36 formed in the margins of the washer 32.

Mechanism carried by the shaft 10 beyond the journal bracket 12 servesby engaging the bracket to prevent the springs 30 and 31 from producinga longitudinal movement of the shaft 10. As shown in the drawings acoller 37 is applied to the shaft 10 adjacent that end of the journalbracket remote from the washer for this purpose.

For arresting the rotation of the cam plate 19 a plurality of cogs orteeth 38 are formed upon its periphery and a stop arm 39 pivotallysecured at t0 to a xed support is adapted to be moved into or out of thepath of the teeth 38.

Vlien the parts are in position illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawings,wherein the pawls 22 are held out of contact with the teeth of theratchet wheel 18 by reason of the engagement of one of the cam blocks25, 26, 27, 28 formed on the cam plate 19 with each of the lugs 29, thecam plate 19 being held against rotation by the engagement of the stoparm 39 with one of the cogs or teeth formed upon its periphery, theshaft 10 and the ratchet wheel 18 fixed thereto will rotate withoutturning the sprocket wheel 11. Driving connection between these partsmay, however, be instantly established by raising the stop arm 39 out ofcontact with the teeth 38 of the cam plate 19, for as soon as the camplate 19 is released it will rotate with the driving shaft 10 andratchet wheel 18 by reason of the frictional engagement of the cam platewith the ratchet wheel. Rotation of the cam plate 19 through a smallangle will bring one of the recesses 42 provided between each of the camblocks 25, 26, 27, 28`

into register with each lug 29 formed on the pawls 22, thus permittingthe pawls to be depressed by the springs 24 intov engagement with theteeth of the ratchet wheel 18. All

ing connection between the driving shaft of the rotating parts of themechanism will now turn together until the stop arm 39 is againdepressed into the path of the teeth or cogs 38 formed upon theperiphery of the cam plate 19. iVhen the movement of the cam plate 19has been arrested in this way connection between the shaft 10 and theratchet wheel 11 will be interrupted as soon as the sprocket wheel hasbeen turned a sullicient distance in advance of the cam plate to causethe pawls 22 to .be lifted out of engagement with the teeth of theratchet wheel 18 by contact of the lugs formed on the pawls with theinclined surfaces 13 of the cam blocks 25, 26, 2T, 28 formed on the camplate 19. The driving shaft 19 and ratchet wheel 18 will then turnindependently o'l' the sprocket wheel 11 and cani plate 19.

rllhe movement of the stop arm is easily effected and may be readilyaccomplished by hand, a hand lever (not shown) being convenientlyconnected to the stop arm by a link 41. rlhe shifting of the pawls 22out of engagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheel 18, which mayrequire considerable force when great power is being transmitted throughthe mechanism by reason of the friction caused by pressure of theratchet teeth upon the ends of the pawls, is effected by a continuedrotation of the driving shaft 10 when the movement of the cam plate 19has been arrested. The force required for lifting the pawls is thereforeprovided by the driving power itself.

The invention is applicable to machines of various kinds and will befound particularly useful in agricultural machines wherein the movingparts are driven from the carrying wheels, driving connections betweenthe wheels and other moving parts of such machines being preferablyinterrupted when the machine is to be transported from place to place.

le claim as our invention 1. In combination, a rotating axle, a sprocketwheel and a cam plate loose on the axle, a ratchet plate lixed to theaxle between such parts, a spring for holding the cam plate infrictional driving contact with the ratchet plate, a pawl carried by thesprocket wheel engageable with the periphery of the ratchet plate, and astop for arresting the rotation of the cam plate whereby the pawl islifted out of contact; with the ratchet plate by the cam plate.

2. In combination a rotating axle, a sprocket mounted thereon, a pawlcarried by the sprocket, a ratchet plate fixed against rotation on theaxle for engaging the pawl, a pawl raising cam having frictional drivingconnection with the axle, and means for arresting the rotation of thecam with the axle.

3. In combination, two parts coaxially mounted for independent rotation,a pawl carried by one of such parts, a ratchet wheel mounted to rotatewith the other part, a pavvl lifter having frictional `drivingconnection with the last named part and means for arresting the`movement of the paWl lifter. v

4. In combination, a driving member, a driven member a pavvl Carried bythe driven member for engaging the driving member, a pavvl lifter havingfrictional driving oonnection with thedriving member and means forarresting the movement of the pavvl lifter. f y Y f 5. In combination, arotatingaxle, a sleeve xed to the axle, the exterior `of the sleevebeing polygonal for ya portion of its' length and circular for theremaining portion of its length, a ratchet Wheel seated o n thepolygonal portion oi' the sleeve, a` circular hub formed on that side ofthe ratchet Wheel remote vfrom lthe circular portion of the sleeve, agear Wheel mounted on the hub of thev ratchet Wheel, a cam plate havinga notched periphery 'mounted on the circular portion of the sleeve, oneside of the plate beingY in contact with the side of the ratchet Wheel,Va Washer fixed against longitudinal .movement on the axle and turningwith the ycam plate, a spring kreacting between the JOI-IN C. POPE.WILLIAM J.'POPE.

Witnesses.:

I-I. E. I-IENNING, R. O. LEITGH.

